


Roofless

by MerMagicAnaLily



Series: Acceptance [3]
Category: Andi Mack (TV)
Genre: Anxiety, Comfort, F/M, Homophobia, Love, M/M, Memories, PTSD, kicked out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:00:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22579744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MerMagicAnaLily/pseuds/MerMagicAnaLily
Summary: “When we arrive, Dr. Metcalf wants to meet with the six of you,” the chaperone said.“Are we in trouble?” Cyrus asked worried.“No, you’re not in trouble, he just wants to discuss something with all of you.” She walked away, leaving them to look at each other.“What do you think that was about?” Jonah asked, and Buffy frowned slightly.“I have a hunch,” She said, looking directly at Cyrus and T.J.’s joined hands.—————Don’t let the summary fool you. I just like mystery.
Relationships: Buffy Driscoll/Marty, Cyrus Goodman/T. J. Kippen
Series: Acceptance [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1511060
Comments: 3
Kudos: 66





	Roofless

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, is this a slight procrastination from law school? 100%. But now that the idea is out of my head...please comment to prove to me that this isn’t an absolute waste of time? I need the bit of validation.
> 
> Also I know this series is Tyrus centric, and if you want some Muffy things, check out my ADULTHOOD series, where I have Marty dealing with other things from a somewhat divergent universe (where the Kippens are actual decent people). 
> 
> PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE COMMENT! I DON’T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES TO BEG FOR THIS!!!!

“Cyrus, by now I know that if you’re this quiet, you’re either asleep, dead, or downright terrified, and I’m pretty sure I can rule the first two out.”

“Hmmm? Oh...sorry…” he said, looking at T.J. 

“What’s going on?”

He chuckled. “Just, the last time I went camping, it was kind of a disaster…”

“I’m right here, you know,” Jonah said, turning around in his seat. “And it wasn’t that much of a disaster…we ended up watching a pretty cool meteor shower.”

“Yeah, that’s true…” Cyrus said. “But maybe I’m worried about everyone in our class seeing the absolute disaster that we were.”

“We just won’t bring meat…or get a zipper stuck,” he said laughing. “Especially since we’re really out in the wild, not just in your backyard.”

The whole class was going on a field trip to some historic forest, not that T.J. was paying much attention, and they were going to camp out for a few days. Their biology teacher was hoping this would help the students get in the mindset of conservation, while everyone else was simply in the mindset of thinking of this camping trip as something fun to do before they graduated middle school. 

“Now you’re being quiet,” Cyrus said, and T.J. looked over and laughed a little, squeezing his hand. 

“Just thinking how much fun this will be. I mean, there’s the whole conservation thing, but tomorrow there’s a zip-lining course…”

“Which I’m going to win,” Buffy said. 

“We’re not racing Buffy,” Cyrus said. 

“I’m still going to win.”

Marty laughed. “Babe, want me to compete with you so that you can have a claim of ‘winning?’”

“I suppose winning against a single competitor is better than winning against non-competitors,” she said, giving a pointed look at T.J., trying to dare him. 

“You’re trying to make my murder look like an accident, aren’t you?” He asked. 

“Are you scared of competing against me?”

“In general? No. In a place where we’re several feet off the ground and the only thing holding me up is a small piece of rope? I’m scared of you then,” he said with a laugh. Buffy rolled her eyes.

“You’re dating Cyrus, so you have nothing to worry about Thomas Jackson.”

“Still not my name.” 

Buffy groaned and stared at Marty. “You’re not going to tell me, are you?”

“It’s way too entertaining to see you try to figure it out,” Marty said with a little smile. 

“Come on! The only people who don’t know his name are me and Jonah! And Jonah’s happy enough calling him ‘Tocious Jagocious.’”

“Much better than my actual name, I’ve got to say,” T.J. said, giving Jonah a fist bump. 

“You’re really going to torture me?” Buffy sighed. 

“You’re the one who’s dying to know my name. I will still go by T.J. until the day I die.”

Cyrus rolled his eyes at the bickering and leaned against his boyfriend, giving his hand another squeeze. “Can we end this really dumb argument about a mysterious name and focus on what we’re going to do when we get to the campsite? Because I’m thinking we build our own mini-fire just a little ways away and make s’mores.”

“I like that idea,” Andi said. “Think the teachers will let us?”

“As long as we’re safe? I already bought chocolate and marshmallows!”

“Now that I can get behind,” Buffy said.

“Marshmallows, nature’s olive branch,” Marty said.

“Aren’t olive branches already nature’s olive branch?” Jonah asked. 

“Yes, but if I extended an olive branch to you or T.J., you two would whack me over the head with those branches. If I gave you marshmallows, you’d happily eat them.”

“I don’t know, I’d eat the olives,” Jonah said. “I like olives.”

“It’s not about the olives!”

“You were just talking about the olives!”

“Do I really sound like that with them?” T.J. asked Cyrus, who only laughed and nodded. 

“You three individually are quite smart. Together, you share a single brain cell.”

“Funny...Bex says the same thing. Even with Bowie.”

“Bowie is the grown up version of you three,” Cyrus said. “So Bowie’s adult supervision with you guys is the equivalent of no adult supervision.” 

“Love you too babe,” he said sarcastically, but he had a light smile on his face. 

Soon, the chaperones stood up at the front of the bus. “Alright everyone. We’re going to be pulling into the campsite soon, so here are the rules one last time. We’re going to go around showing everyone the tent assignments for the next few nights based on who you guys selected to be your tent-mates, and you have to be inside the tent ready for bed by 10:30. From now until 10, you guys are allowed to hang around any part of the campsite with people from outside your tent, as long as you’re back inside there for chaperone check. If you want to build a fire, grab a chaperone for them to inspect and ignite it for you, and call them again to properly put it out, and the first thing you guys absolutely MUST do is set up the tents! Better now than at night when nobody can see!” 

Everyone on the bus nodded, listening to the rules before the conversations broke out again, starting off quietly before going to almost deafening. Some of the chaperones were walking about the bus giving out room tent assignments until they got to the giant group of six sitting together in the back of the bus. 

“When we arrive, Dr. Metcalf wants to meet with the six of you,” the chaperone said. 

“Are we in trouble?” Cyrus asked worried. 

“No, you’re not in trouble, he just wants to discuss something with all of you.” She walked away, leaving them to look at each other. 

“What do you think that was about?” Jonah asked, and Buffy frowned slightly.

“I have a hunch,” She said, looking directly at Cyrus and T.J.’s joined hands. 

* * *

Everyone started getting off the bus and rushing to the storage area underneath it, grabbing their duffel bags and sleeping bags before breaking off into their groups to go set up their tents on a small piece of campsite. The group of friends, meanwhile, went up to Dr. Metcalf. 

“Ms. Thompson said you wanted to see us sir?” Marty asked. Everyone was frowning confused and in a slightly defensive stance after Buffy shared her theory.

“Yes, I wanted to talk to you guys about the tent assignments, and the potential...conflict,” he said carefully. 

“Sir, if this is about the fact that we’re gay,” T.J. said, ready to jump to their defense. “You know that being who we are isn’t a threat to…”

“Yes, yes, I’m well aware,” he said. “This isn’t about you boys being a threat to other boys. This is more about...how should I put this...setting a precedent.”

“Sir?”

“So, this isn’t about you boys being gay,” he said. “But rather, that you’re in a relationship with each other. You both had each other as well as Jonah and Marty in your tent request forms, and if you boys were simply gay but not in a relationship, there wouldn’t be a problem and you’d be off on your merry way. But some parents have expressed concern. Most of them, granted, in a homophobic matter…”

“You’re not siding with them, are you?”

“In the homophobia? No. I’d simply fiddle with my picture of mine and my husband’s wedding day and they’d be quiet. But one brought up a point that if you two are in a relationship and sharing a tent, what’s to stop other couples from arguing they should share one on the next trips, so on and so forth. Normally, I’d put one of you in a tent with another group of boys and we’d be off, but I didn’t want to put you in a group you didn’t want to be in inadvertently.”

“Dr. Metcalf? I’m sorry, but what does that have to do with us?” Buffy asked, gesturing between her and Andi. 

“I’m getting there. Basically, I think that the best way to satisfy everyone is if, instead of putting Buffy and Andi with two other girls in their tent, to make a group of four, since you’re all friends, why not have one of you boys join them?”

Cyrus looked at Buffy and Andi, who shrugged. “But would the parents be okay with boys and girls sharing tents? I mean, I know our parents would be fine…”

“It’s unorthodox, but I have a feeling you’d be happier in this arrangement than any other. So, two groups of three okay with you six?”

They looked around and nodded. “And if anyone says something?” Cyrus asked. 

“They won’t,” Buffy said. “Not if they know what’s good for them.”

“Alright then, go grab your things and set up, and if you need anything, feel free to come and find me.” 

* * *

“Who knew Metcalf was on Team Queer?” Marty said with a laugh as he and T.J. started setting up the tent. Given how accident prone Jonah was, they sent him to grab sleeping bags, mats, and supplies that no matter how hard he could try, he couldn’t break.

“You mean it wasn’t obvious?” T.J. asked, using his shoe to hammer in the nail holding the tent to the ground. 

“You and your freaky gay-dar. I forget all the time!” He laughed. “So you knew?”

“I mean, yeah. He just...I don’t know...I just felt it. Especially after the night he found us… his whole attitude towards us went from ‘stern but wanting our best’ to ‘I understand and I support you, even though I’m not going to just let things slide for you.’ I mean, he was still fair, but he was more…”

“Sympathetic?”

“Sure, that’s the closest I can get to what I’m trying to say.” He said. Marty was quiet for a minute. 

“You think any of those parents complaining about you complained about me too?” He asked. 

“People are dumb. No matter how old they are,” T.J. said. “We’re experts on that topic.”

“If we weren’t, we wouldn’t be under ‘Mack’ guardianship...you think they still think about us?”

“I hope not,” T.J. said. “Because I never want to see them again,” he said, looking up at the tent. 

**************

_ “Is this safe?” _

_ T.J. looked at the little area of the local woods he had cleared out for the three of them. “It should be. We don’t have any food to attract wild animals, it’s secluded and away from people, and most people aren’t going to try and mug homeless kids who don’t have much to them.” _

_ “What about the bugs and other wild animals?” Amber said. “I mean, I know there won’t be bears and stuff, but I’m not in the mood to be eaten alive by mosquitos or wake up to a squirrel on my face.” _

_ “Got you covered on the mosquitos,” he said, tossing her a can of bug spray. “And for the small animals? I guess we can sleep in shifts...I’ll stay awake first, and then trade off so we watch over each other.”  _

_ “Are you sure about that?” Marty said.  _

_ “Well, this place is less discoverable than a bus bench, and going into the shelter means that CPS will come in and separate us and send us away from Shadyside.” _

_ “Of course home would be better,” Amber muttered. _

_ “Yeah, well home doesn’t want us, and if they don’t want us, then I don’t want them,” he said, rolling out his sleeping bag. “Look, if we find a place we can sleep indoors, we’ll go there instead. But the woods are much safer than a bus bench or the bus station. At least we’re away from creeps out here, but still close enough to the gym I work at for showers and The Spoon for Amber to get to work.”  _

_ “You really did think this out, didn’t you?” Amber said.  _

_ “It’s just the three of us now...until we can go off to college or whatever, we gotta just figure out how to survive together.”  _

**************

“Teej, you good?” Marty asked. 

“Yeah...yeah, just...been a while since we were in tents and sleeping bags,” he said. “But it’s okay. This is good.”

“Yeah...I know the feeling,” he said. “Come on, let’s go make sure Jonah didn’t die.”

“You guys have no faith in me, do you?” Jonah said, appearing in front of them while attempting to juggle sleeping bags, mats, and other camping supplies that were handed out. “You could help me!”

* * *

“Why do hotdogs taste better over a fire than normally?” Cyrus said. 

“Maybe it’s the smoky flavor?” Andi said. 

“Awww….” Everyone turned around to see Jonah’s hotdog stick empty and a lone wiener burning alongside the firewood. “Please tell me you guys have more?”

“Yes...but let’s try to avoid more wild animals with the scent of cooking meat,” Cyrus said. “You can take this one and I’ll make another one for myself.” Cyrus took the sausage off the stick and put it in a bun for Jonah, but before he could make another one for himself, T.J. already had a second sausage on his stick, smiling and putting his arm around Cyrus. 

“So, how’s the Good Hair Tent?” T.J. asked. 

“Pretty good. Buffy had to do the tent by herself while Andi and I organized our supplies. Because Buffy is the only one who could build the tent without losing her breath or doing something that would get us in trouble…”

“I already hid all the fabric paints Andi brought with her,” she said, and Andi blushed. 

“It’s a grey tent! It’s ugly and boring. A splash of color would do us all good.”

“And cost us all money!” Cyrus said. “What about the Dumbass tent?”

“I’m still confused as to why that’s the name of the three of us together,” Jonah said. 

“Simple,” Buffy said. “Because your group contains the eighth, ninth, and tenth of Snow White’s dwarves: Recklessly, Arrogantly, and Accidentally,” she said, pointing at T.J., Marty, and Jonah respectively. 

“Accidentally?”

“Jonah, you’ve broken things that I can’t even understand how they broke,” Andi said. 

“You literally broke my family’s unbreakable glass door,” Cyrus said.

“You covered Cece’s wall in candle wax,” Andi said. 

“You tried on my sunglasses and they just broke,” T.J. said. “You weren’t even trying anything other than putting them on your face like a normal person. They just...broke…”

“I’m buying you new ones!” He said. “And I volunteered to clean up at Cece’s!”

“You’re not buying me new sunglasses,” T.J. said. “They were old ones anyways. The point is you’re accident prone.”

“And you’re calling *me* arrogant, Miss ‘I’ll just run a marathon without training for it?’”

“Yes I am Mr. ‘Men are just more advanced and stronger than women, physically.’ Which...”

“It was a combination of self hatred and keeping up my cover,” he said with a dopey smile. 

“And why am I reckless?”

“You’ve never turned down a dare from Marty,” she deadpanned. 

“I’ll take reckless.” 

“To be fair, he can plan really well when he needs to,” Marty said. “He just...doesn’t when he doesn’t have to.”

“Alright, so he’s only Reckless within the confines of the Dumbass Trio,” Buffy said.

“Well, not everyone can have as wonderful a name as ‘The Good Hair Crew.’” 

“Yeah, you seem to have taken the monopoly on that,” Marty said. “I want you to name all future groups from now on, Cyrus. Not Buffy.”

“Shut up, you love Dumbass Trio.”

“I love the members, and the name grew on me,” he said. “I wasn’t the biggest fan at first though, I will admit.” 

“Guys, this is the most pointless argument I’ve ever heard! And Cyrus and I once argued about which condiment goes best with baby taters.”

“Ketchup is the only right answer.” 

“Apparently that argument is not over…” he chuckled. 

“Not until you admit defeat on this topic,” he said. 

“If I don’t, does that mean you won’t kiss me anymore?” He raised his eyebrow and Cyrus laughed, getting up slightly to kiss him while Andi and Marty gave out an exaggerated cheer while the other two jokingly groaned in disgust. “Guys, that’s homophobic.”

“What?! No it’s not!” Jonah said. 

“You do realize that the two of you that groaned are the only cishet people in this group?” Cyrus said.

“What?” Jonah looked around. “What! No!” He groaned. “Cyrus, T.J., I’m sorry, I was only joking!”

“Relax, we got it,” T.J. said with a smile. “You’re all good. I know you’re not intentionally homophobic.”

“Tha-hey!”

“TEN O’CLOCK!” The chaperones started walking around “Everyone head back to your own campsites for tent checks!”

The six looked around and started laughing. “I guess it’s time to start heading back,” Buffy said, standing up with Andi and Cyrus. “Ready to get your butts kicked tomorrow at the zip-line course?”

“You’re on!” Marty said as T.J. and Jonah said. 

“Not competing!”

They all laughed and said goodbye, with the Good Hair Crew moving on to the site on the other end of the trees while the boys had a chaperone help them put out the fire. 

* * *

“Teej?”

“Wha?”

“You’ve been brushing your teeth for the past 20 minutes,” Marty said. “I think I know what’s going on…”

“Nothing,” he said. “I’m fine. I’m fine,” he said, spitting out his toothpaste. “I’m sleeping now...no more nightmares…”

“Yeah, but that’s at home, in a bed with a weighted blanket. The last time we were outdoors...hell, the last time we were in sleeping bags even…”

“Marty! I’m fine!” Marty winced slightly and T.J. sighed. “Sorry...I’m sorry. But I’m fine, really. I just...don’t like talking about it outside of Dr. Arellano’s office.” The two started walking out of the public campsite bathroom and towards their tent. “Are you okay?”

“Honestly? I have no clue...I mean, I was expecting to be in a full blown panic attack just seeing trees again, but I guess since you’re here too, and so is Buffy, and the others, I feel like I’m going to be okay.” 

T.J. nodded, staying quiet as they walked the rest of the way back and into the entrance of the tent, stopping when he saw the rolled up sleeping bag on the floor in front of him. 

**************

_ “We should take them,” Amber said. “It’s not expensive...and our old sleeping bags are from elementary school sleepovers.” _

_ “We barely have money,” T.J. said. “And you could get in trouble stealing food from The Spoon so often.” _

_ “Nah, Mr. Henderson knows our family is going through some financial troubles…” _

_ “Amber!” He grabbed her arm and pulled her closer, careful not to hurt her. “What does he know?” _

_ “I told him that I needed more hours to help my family out,” she said. “He doesn’t know that family means just you and Marty. He thinks we’re still…” She trailed off and T.J. looked down, nodding.  _

_ “Okay…I’m just...I don’t want to get separated.” _

_ “We won’t be.” She looked up at him, seeing the dark circles under his eyes. “I wish you’d wake me or Marty up for our turns to watch over everyone.” _

_ “It’s not like I’d sleep anyways,” he muttered.  _

_ “Well, Marty said he had an idea of a safe place to sleep...indoors,” She said. “Maybe you’ll sleep now that you don’t have to worry about wild animals?” _

_ “Safe...without adults calling CPS?” He asked, and she nodded. T.J. sighed and looked back up at the sleeping bags on the Target shelf, as well as all the snacks and extra clothes in his cart, trusting Amber to do the math for him. “Okay.” He reached up and grabbed them.  _

**************

“What?! How!” T.J. shook his head and looked at Jonah, who groaned, looking down at his sleeping bag, while Marty laughed, holding his stomach. 

* * *

T.J. shifted on the floor, tugging at his sleeping bag. Marty had cocooned himself in the sleeping bag, resembling a navy blue and grey earthworm, while Jonah, who had inexplicably broken the zipper of his sleeping bag, was using the foam mat as his mattress and the unzipped sleeping bag as a blanket.

He looked over at them and wondered how Cyrus was doing with Buffy and Andi. Probably regular sleepover stuff, like sharing dumb stories, and talking, and using the two hundred battery packs he brought to keep a phone alive while they watched Disney+ and made fun of Buffy who had a striking resemblance to a character on one of the shows. Those guys could stay awake for much longer than he ever has and look like they slept for 10 straight days. Meanwhile T.J. had just unlearned how to function with less sleep. 

He stared up at the tent, seeing the stars twinkle faintly through the mesh of the tent, the same stars that kept him company for days before they started breaking into the school to sleep. The same stars he looked up at when he was on the bench with Cyrus, confessing his feelings...the same stars his parents would point out to him whenever they went to the the planetarium...all four of them. 

**************

_ “Look at those stars honey,” his mom said, pointing up at the screen. Those are the stars we would see outside if there weren’t so many lights in the city.” _

**************

_ “I’m so...so ashamed of you! After all your father and I have taught you...and you go out and...and you act like that? Disgusting!” _

**************

_ “Son, the stars are like us. No matter where you go, what you do, the stars will always be in the sky,” his father said. “And we will be your blood.” _

**************

_ “How could I have a faggot for a son! So stop calling me dad! You want to go off like some fairy, you can do it far from me!” _

**************

_ “You guys know how to get home!” His mother said, dropping Amber off at dance practice right next to the gym T.J. worked at. _

**************

_ “Leave your keys on the table. It’s not your house anymore.” _

**************

T.J. could feel his heart picking up speed and sat up, slowly making his way out of the tent and sitting on the benches where all of his friends were sitting just a few hours earlier. When he looked at his phone, it said it was two in the morning, but it felt like time didn’t even exist at the moment. He kept his eyes trained on the pit where the fire was, even seeing the remains of Jonah’s burnt hot dog sitting there. He didn’t want to see the stars. 

“Hey.” T.J. turned around to see Jonah making his way over and sitting down next to him. 

“Weren’t you asleep?”

“I was...but I heard you get out.”

“Oh…sorry for waking you…”

“Don’t. I didn’t wake up when you left...I woke up when I heard the breathing.”

“Breathing?”

“You started breathing really fast. And I kinda tend to be the expert on panic attacks,” he said, looking up at the sky. “I haven’t seen the sky look like this since mine and Cyrus’s camping adventure…”

T.J. was quiet. “My parents used to take me and Amber to the planetarium all the time,” he said quietly. “They loved the stars…”

“Oh…” Jonah looked down at his lap. “I didn’t know…”

“Most don’t,” he said. “Not even Marty. I don’t want him feeling bad about all of this. I just...need...I don’t know…”

“You just need to get over it?” Jonah asked. T.J. sighed. “Yeah…I know that feeling. I hate it when friends fight, or I think my friends might not stick around or something. I used to blame it on myself...but, it’s not me. I don’t need to get over it. I need to learn how to live with it, and accept it.”

“Your trigger is people not getting along?”

“People I care about,” he said. “Or the idea of losing friends. You have pretty traumatic memories…”

“Yeah, but...I also had good memories with them,” he said. “For most of my life. It’s like...the instant they found out Amber and I were gay...all of that is gone. They didn’t want defect kids…” 

“They’re the ones who are wrong…”

“But…” he sighed. “How can they be terrible people and give us good memories? They ruined those memories for us…”

“You’re mourning.” Jonah said, remembering key phrases his psychiatrist would tell him about.

“They’re not dead. And I don’t care if they die now. Not if they throw us out like that.”

“You’re not mourning them,” Jonah said. “You’re mourning the family you deserve...that every kid deserves. But now, you have the adult guidance you do deserve. With Bex and Bowie. And, you’ve got pretty awesome friends by your side, if I can say so myself?”

T.J. laughed a little. “Yeah...you guys really are amazing. Even if we act like idiots most of the time.” He sighed and looked up at the stars again, not thinking about his parents, but thinking about Cyrus rambling about the different constellations and telling the story of the time he and Jonah failed at camping out in his backyard. “You’re right. Things are better. I just need some time to let that sink in...I guess.”

“Yeah.” He sighed. “Ready to head back?”

“I think I’m gonna sit out here for just a bit longer.”

“You’re gonna be okay?”

“I will be,” he said. “Thanks for talking it out.”

“Hey, I know how hard it can be…you can wake me up again if you need to talk again.”

“Thanks. Really, thanks.” He watched Jonah disappear through the flap of the tent and looked back at the fire pit, thinking about what made him happy: the party at Andi’s, seeing Cyrus’s custom posters at all of his games, the time Marty had to call the fire department and Jonah was on the floor laughing after T.J. climbed to the top of Buffy’s house to place a pink basketball on her roof before Jonah broke the ladder by trying to move it to the other side of the house, and even remembered the conversations from earlier that night. Things were getting better. And that wouldn’t change anytime soon.


End file.
